High-resolution, reconfigurable printing of liquid metals with three-dimensional structures

Park, Young Geun; An, Hyeon Seok; Kim, Ju Young

doi:10.1126/sciadv.aaw2844

Cited by 246 publications

(145 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Liquid metals and alloys have exceptional properties that make them particularly attractive for applications: potential uses include electrical energy storage and generation as, e.g., electrodes for all-liquid high capacity batteries [1] and efficient heat exchange fluids in concentrated solar power systems [2]. By virtue of their nontoxicity, low viscosity, and high thermal and electrical conductivity, low-melting point gallium-based liquid metals have applications from cooling integrated electronics to manufacturing flexible and reconfigurable electronic devices and soft robotics [3][4][5][6]. Such optimal thermophysical properties are governed by the atomic-scale structure of these liquids.…”

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confidence: 99%

Structural Ordering in Liquid Gallium under Extreme Conditions

et al. 2020

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The atomic-scale structure, melting curve, and equation of state of liquid gallium has been measured to high pressure (p) and high temperature (T) up to 26 GPa and 900 K by in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations up to 33.4 GPa and 1000 K are in excellent agreement with the experimental measurements, providing detailed insight at the level of pair distribution functions. The results reveal an absence of dimeric bonding in the liquid state and a continuous increase in average coordination numbern Ga Ga from 10.4(2) at 0.1 GPa approaching ∼12 by 25 GPa. Topological cluster analysis of the simulation trajectories finds increasing fractions of fivefold symmetric and crystalline motifs at high p-T. Although the liquid progressively resembles a hard-sphere structure towards the melting curve, the deviation from this simple description remains large (≥40%) across all p-T space, with specific motifs of different geometries strongly correlating with low local two-body excess entropy at high p-T.

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confidence: 99%

Structural Ordering in Liquid Gallium under Extreme Conditions

et al. 2020

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“…On the other hand, direct writing/printing of conductive traces is also possible by use of UV-assisted direct write technology and LM inks. Furthermore, direct 3D printing technology was used to develop a reconfigurable LM coil with state-of-the-art track width/spacing of 12 µm/50 µm in [54]. This 3D direct printing technique was reported as highly reliable and repeatable with an incredibly small track thickness of ∼2 µm, which can be exploited for next generation LM antennas.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With a 200 μm thick conductive trace and accuracy of up to a micron, this low-cost direct printing method showed a promising prospect for future fluidic antenna design and fabrication. In [54], there was a novel high-resolution printer for 3D direct printing of LM alloys with track thickness as small as ∼2 µm, as depicted in Figure 6 [54]. Here, the rapid oxidation property of LM alloys like EGaIn together with nozzle lift velocity manipulation allowed 3D printing of the conductive tracks.…”

Section: Printingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Liquid Metal Antennas: Materials, Fabrication and Applications

Paracha

Butt

Alghamdi

et al. 2019

Sensors

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This work reviews design aspects of liquid metal antennas and their corresponding applications. In the age of modern wireless communication technologies, adaptability and versatility have become highly attractive features of any communication device. Compared to traditional conductors like copper, the flow property and lack of elasticity limit of conductive fluids, makes them an ideal alternative for applications demanding mechanically flexible antennas. These fluidic properties also allow innovative antenna fabrication techniques like 3D printing, injecting, or spraying the conductive fluid on rigid/flexible substrates. Such fluids can also be easily manipulated to implement reconfigurability in liquid antennas using methods like micro pumping or electrochemically controlled capillary action as compared to traditional approaches like high-frequency switching. In this work, we discuss attributes of widely used conductive fluids, their novel patterning/fabrication techniques, and their corresponding state-of-the-art applications.Most of the conventional antennas are fabricated by etching the copper cladding on the rigid substrates to form static conductor shapes. Such antennas are highly efficient but suffer from irreversible structure deformation and even damage when being bent or stretched beyond certain limits [3]. As alternatives, several types of copper-coated polymer substrates such as Kapton, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) films have been investigated to accommodate the need in flexible applications such as antennas. Similar to conventional substrates, the electrical properties of these substrates also degrade after severe bending/stretching, which in turn reduces antenna efficiency. Another option is polymer-based materials such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which has been typically used in combination with copper foils to realize highly flexible antennas. However, the semi-rigid copper foils may potentially suffer from irreversible deformation after certain bending cycles. Alternatively, liquid metals can be injected into microfluidic channels to fabricate highly flexible and mechanically stable antennas without compromising their electrical properties [4].In [5], a broader review of fluidics-based tuning methods for the development of microwave components was presented. Although, this included a review of antennas based on dielectric/conductive fluids, it primarily covered flexible and frequency-tunable antenna/arrays and lacked depth on polarization/pattern reconfigurability techniques. Additionally, discussion of recent advancements in state-of-the-art liquid metal applications was also missing in [5]. In [6], a mini review of flexible and stretchable antennas based on textile materials was discussed. Here, the focus was on the benefits of conductive filler-based elastomers used in antennas for bio-integrated electronics applications and the trade-off between antenna stretchability and its performance. However, a detailed review of materials, novel fabrication te...

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“…By patterning liquid metal lines on a rubber strained by 700%, the gap between features could be reduced from 10 to ≈1.5 mm. [65]…”

Section: Postprinting Modificationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Liquid Metal Direct Write and 3D Printing: A Review

Neumann

Dickey

2020

Adv Materials Technologies

209

170

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This review discusses methods, challenges, and opportunities for direct‐write and 3D printing of low melting point, gallium‐based liquid metal alloys at room temperature. Alloys of gallium exhibit high conductivity and high stretchability making them well suited for use in soft circuitry for stretchable electronics and soft robotics. In addition, the liquid nature of the metal enables entirely new ways to pattern metals at room temperature; herein, the focus is placed on additive printing via nozzle‐based methods. Room temperature printing of liquid metals enables rapid fabrication of complex geometries (with dimensions as small as 10 µm) on a wide range of materials, such as polymers. These processes can be used to make metallic conductors for devices with self‐healing capabilities, soft/stretchable electrodes, and sensors.

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High-resolution, reconfigurable printing of liquid metals with three-dimensional structures

Cited by 246 publications

References 46 publications

Structural Ordering in Liquid Gallium under Extreme Conditions

Structural Ordering in Liquid Gallium under Extreme Conditions

Liquid Metal Antennas: Materials, Fabrication and Applications

Liquid Metal Direct Write and 3D Printing: A Review

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